Hold-down devices for well packers



May 27, 1958 c. c. BROWN HOLD-DOWN DEVICES FOR WELL PACKERS Filed Dec.24, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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' ATTORNEYJ C/cero CT Brow/7 May 27, 1958 c, 3, BROWN 2,836,250

HOLD-DOWN DEVICES FOR WELL PACKERS Filed Dec. 24, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 223 22 5 39 4 4 K 32 i jL 33 m /a & U

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J5 (me/"0 C. Brown INVENTOR.

BY WW Mull.

May 27, 1958 c. c. BROWN HOLD-DOWN DEVICES FOR WELL PACKERS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 24, 1952 C/ce/"o CBrown INVENTOR. My

A TTOR/VEKS Z EKM 2,836,250 Horn-power Devices non WELL PACKERS CiceroC. Brown, Houston, Tex. Application December 24, 1952, Serial No.327,736 3 Claims. Cl. 166-434) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in hold-down devices for well packers.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved fluid actuatedhold-down device for a well packer wherein the hold-down device isadapted to be actuated by a fluid pressure to apply a force to thepacker to maintain same in a set position in a well pipe or casing. Animportant object of this invention is to provide a fluid actuatedhold-down device for maintaining a well packer in its set position in awell pipe or casing in which said device has an actuating member withpistons thereon whereby upon an application of fluid pressure to saidpistons said actuating member is forced longitudinally to apply a forceto the packer to maintain same in said set position.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hold-downdevice for a well packer adapted to be set in engagement with a wellpipe or casing by a lowering of the support tubing therefor relative tothe packer, wherein said hold-down device provides a slidable connectionbetween said support tubing and said packer, said slidable connectionhaving a means for transmitting the force of a fluid pressure to saidpacker to prevent the unsetting thereof even when sudden surges of wellpressure f extreme well pressures act in a direction tending to unsetthe packer.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingforming a part thereof,

. wherein an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the holddown device ofthis invention connected to a well packer, with the parts in theposition for lowering of the holddown device and the packer to thepredetermined point in a well casing.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but illus rates the relationship ofthe parts when the hold-down device has been actuated by fluid pressureto apply a setting force to the well packer.

Figs. 3A, 3B, and 3C are views, partly in section and partly inelevation, which illustrate substantially the complete hold-down deviceof this invention, with Fig. 3A illustrating the upper portion, Fig. 3Billustrating the intermediate portion, and Fig. 3C illustrating thelower portion.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3A.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3C.

in the drawings, the letter A designates generally the hold-down deviceof this invention which has connection with a well packer P which isadapted to be set in a well pipe or casing C. The

hold-down device A 'and the acker P are lowered ino the well casin C ona su a Patented May 27, 1958 ice port tubing 10, with the hold-downdevice A providing a slidable connection between the tubing 10 and thewell packer P. -The .well packer P may be of any known construction,such as a hook wall packer, and would include a packing element 11 forsealingly engaging the well casing and slips 12 for gripping the casing.The well packer P is shown schematically in the drawings since it may beof any conventional type. The holddown device A includes a housing 214and an inner mandrel 15 with the upper end of the housing 14 beingconnected tothe tubing 10 and the lower end ofthe mandrel 15 beingconnected to the packer P. The mandrel 15 telescopes within the housing14 and is movable longitudinally relative thereto and, as will beexplained, a fluid pressure may be applied to the mandrel to move samedownwardly with respect to the housing 14 to apply a force to the packerto maintain the packer P in its set position in the well casing C.

The details of the hold-down device A can be seen in Figs. 3A-5 of thedrawings. At the upper end of the housing 14 and below the connection ofthe housing 14 to the support tubing It), a plurality of radial orlateral slots or openings 18 are provided for receiving a pistongripping member 19 in each of the slots 18. Each of the piston grippingmembers 19 has gripping teeth 19a formed on its arcuate outer surfacefor contact with the well casing C. Each piston gripping member 19 isradially slidable in its slot 18 and is normally confined with thegripping teeth in a retracted position substantially flush with theexterior of the housing 14 by means of a coil spring 20 disposed in anotch 21. A retainer plate 22 is disposedin front of each of the coilsprings 20, with one plate 22 serving to hold the springs 29 for two ofthe piston gripping members 19 which are disposed in the same verticalplane. These retaining plates 22 may be connected to the housing 14- byscrews 23 or any suitable means. The pistons 19 are moved outwardlyagainst the action of the springs 29 by a fluid force which acts againsteach rear face 25 of each piston gripping member 19 so as to move themembers 19 into gripping contact with the well casing C. Each pistongripping member 19 is circular in construction and has disposed aroundits circumference a circular sealing ring 26 which provides a sealbetween the member 19 and the wall of the slots or openings 18 so thatthe full effect or" the fluid pressure acting on the face 25 will beobtained. It will be observed that the ring 26 in each member 19-1; or arubber material or a similar elastic material which oflers sufficientresistance to the inward movement of the piston members 19 to preventtheir inward movement beyond the bore wall of the housing 14.

The lower end of the housing 14 is open to receive the mandrel 15 whichextends through the open end up wardly into the housing 14. A splinedconnection is provided at the lower end of the housing 14- forconnecting the mandrel 15 to the housing 14 so that they may movelongitudinally relative to each other but may not move rotativelyrelative to each other. The splined connection includes keys or splines28 on the mandrel 15 which interfit with keys or splines 29 on thehousing 14.

The housing 14 has an upperannular recess or fluid chamber 30 in itsinner surface. The housing 14 extends radially inwardly to provide anupper end 31 for the recess 30 and a lower end 32 therefor. The innerwall of the fluid chamber 30 is formed by the mandrel 15. Sealing rings33 are provided above and below the recess 39 between the mandrel 15 andthe housing '14 whereby the fluid chamber, 39 is sealed off. The mandrel15 has a piston or radial projection 35 which extends intothe fluidchamber 38 and is annular as is the chamber 38, but is of a shorterlength than the chamber 343 so that it can 7 can be suficiently great jonly the-weight'ot the tubing were relied upon to mainf- I 7 if 75 movetherein. Seal rings 36 are provided on the exterior of the piston 35 forsealinggengagement with the inner surface of the housing 14. .\Anopening 38 is provided in mandrel 15' for establishing communicationbetween the bore of the mandrel 15 and the chamber 30 above the piston35. An opening 39 'i's provided in the housing 14 at the lower end ofthe fluid chamber 30 for establishing communication between the exteriorof the housing 14 and the portion of the fluid chamber 30below thepiston 35 Thus, the mandrel 15 may be moved relative to the housing 14by a fluid pressure interior of the mandrel'or exterior of the housing,depending on which of the pressures is the greater. V 7

'Below the recess 36 in the housing 14, there is a similar recess 30'which has an upper wall 31' and a lower Wall 32 which are radialprojections extending inwardly from V the housing 14 in the same manneras the projections 31 and 32. 'The mandrel'lS also has a lower piston orradial enlargement 35' which is adapted to move longitudinally in thefluid chamber 30' with an opening 38' being provided; above the piston35' to supply fluid pres sure above the piston 35 from the bore of themandrel 15. An opening 39' in the housing 14 is providedat the lower endof the lower fluid chamber 30' communication between the exterior of thehousing 14 and the fluid chamber 30. above the chamber 30 andtheintere'ngaging keys or splines 2% and 29 are providedtherebelow.

The lower end of the mandrel 15 has a threaded connection at iil (Fig.3C) with the usual mandrel 41 which extends through the conventionalhook wall packer.

Other types of connections could, ofcourse, be provided if differenttypes ofpackers are employed.

In the operation of the hold-down device of this in vention, the partsare lowered in the position illustrated in Fig. l, with the shoulders 31and 31 hearing against the upper end of the pistons 35 and 35,respectively, to carry the mandrel 15 and the packer therebelowdownwardly as the tubing 10"is lowered into the welltoa predeterminedpoint in the casing C. When the predetermined point'in the casing isreached, the well packer P is set in'the usualmanner, depending upon thetype of packer employed, such packer being set either by rotationorstraight downward movement-or any other known means so that thepacking element 11 sealingly engages with the inner surface of the wellcasing and the slips 12 grip the casing to prevent further downwardmovement ofsuch packer P." After the 'well packer P'has been, set, thenthehold-down To actuate the hold-down device of this invention, fluidunder pressure is applied through the tubing to the bore'of the mandrel15 so as to initially force the piston gripping members 19 radiallyoutwardly into gripping Seal rings 33 are provided device of thisinvention is utilized.

When it is desired to release the hold-down device, the pressure insidethereof may be reduced and thereafter the well packer P may be releasedin the known manner, for example, by lifting upwardly on the tubing 10.When the well packer has been released from its set position,

or during the release thereof, the support tubing 10 is Y raised toraise the housing 14 until the shoulders or radial projections 32 and 32contact the lower ends of the piston 35 and 3 5, respectivelypwherebythe mandrel 15 will be pulled upwardly with the housing 14 and willcarry therewith the well packer P.

As will be understood, either of the pistons 35 and 35' may be employedseparately if desired, or more than these two pistons maybe employed'under certain to establish engagement with the well casing to providean anchoring means for the housing 14. Thereafter, the fluid pressureacts against the upper end of the pistons 35' and 3S'-by entering thefluid chambers 30 and 30", respectively, to

circumstances. 7 V r The foregoing disclosure and description of theinvention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes inthe size, shape, and materials, as well as I in the details of theillustrated construction, may be made, within the scope of the; appendedclaims, 1 without ,de parting from the spirit or the; invention.

What is claimed is: i 'l. A hold-down device for maintaining a wellpacker which has been previously set in position in a well' casing insuch set position, comprising a hollow tubular support memberlongitudinally axially disposed with respect to said well casingiahollow tubular housing suspended downwardly from said support member';and-'secured thereto in fluid-tight'relation and extending downwardly insaid casing to a point therein spaced from said previously set packer,said tubular housing having an axial bore extending completelytherethrough and a tubular mandrel, the bore of said tubular housingbeing formed with counter-bore portions drel is disposed in fluid tightrelation with the walls of the counterbore portions, the bore ofsaidtubular hous:

when under influence of fluid pressure conducted thereto by said hollowtubular support and-said axially disposed bore are adapted for radiallyoutwardly projection from said housing for engagement with the innerwall of the well casing for steadying and suspending said housing insaid casing, said tubular mandrel being provided with a lateral fluidport above said piston and said housing being provided with a lateralfluid port below said piston, whereby application of fluid pressuredownwardly through said support member and said hollow mandrel and abovesaid piston will cause the same to move downwardly within said pistonchamber thereby causing said mandrel to move downwardly to exerta-holding -force,

upon said previously set packer.

force downwardlyron' the upper ends of the radial pistons 35 and 35'(Fig 2). 'The fluid pressure which is supplied to the hold-down devicethroughthe'tubing ltl'must be greater than the fluid pressure in thecasing so as to overcome any force of the fluid pressure which is actingupwardly on the lower ends of pistons 35 and 35" through the openings 39and 39'. The movement of the mandrel 15 with respect to the housing 14serves to apply a downward force to the packer P to maintain 'samel inits set position with the packing element '11 in sealing'engago mentwith the casing and the slipsIlZ gripping the casing; The pressureacting downwardly on the pistons 35 and 35' to maintain the well packerP in its set position even would normally be necessary to unset suchpackerif tain the packer in its set'position;

7 though'thepressure's acting up- Wardly against the' packer ffom'thewell are greater than 2. The combination as set forth in claim' flwherein said hollow tubular housing is provided further interiorlythroughout-the portion adjacent its lower terminal 'end with spacedvertically disposed splines and said mandrelis provided furtherexteriorly throughout'the portion ad-' jacentits terminal end adjacentsaid housing 'lower terminal'end with spaced vertically disposed splinesadapted to move longitudinally within the splines in said housiiig,whereby said housing and mandrel can move onlyflongitudinally withrespect to each other. I

i 3 A holdfdown device for maintaining a well packer which has beenpreviously set in position in a'well casing in such set position,comprising a hollow-tubular'f s'upport'member longitudinally axiallydisposedwith re-, spect to said well ca'sing, a hollow tubular housingsus pended downwardly from saidsupport member andjse-f cured thereto influid-tight relation and extending down{ wardly in said casing to apoint therein spaced from said previously set packer, said tubularhousing having an axial whichieceive said mandrel and being providedwith fluid seals whereby saidfmanlower. end to said packer,

bore extending completely therethrough and a tubular mandrel, the boreof said tubular housing being provided further with a plurality ofspaced piston chambers within each of which a piston secured to saidmandrel is movable, said mandrel being secured at its lower end to saidpacker and telescoping with said housing, fluid pressure operatedgripping means in the upper portion of said housing which when underinfluence of fluid pressure conducted thereto by said hollow tubularsupport and said axially disposed bore are adapted for radiallyoutwardly projection from said housing for engagement with the innerwall of the well casing for steadying and supporting said housing insaid casing, said tubular mandrel being provided with a lateral fiuidport above each of said pistons and said housing being provided with alateral 15 set packer.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

